World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka arrives at Wimbledon next week facing considerable scrutiny over her mental game, following two recent tournaments marred by dramatic collapses. Despite her consistent presence at the top of women's tennis, her ability to perform under pressure at crucial junctures has become a worrying trend, potentially jeopardising her bid for a first Wimbledon title.
The issues were starkly evident at this year's French Open. After reaching the quarter-finals or better in her last 14 Grand Slams, Sabalenka unexpectedly exited Roland-Garros against 25th seed Diana Shnaider. In a performance uncharacteristic of her usual fiery demeanour, she lost ten consecutive games and twelve of the last thirteen, appearing strangely subdued on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Her usual bullish encouragement and fist-pumping were absent, replaced by visible distress and a clear loss of resistance.
Following that defeat, Sabalenka openly acknowledged her struggles. "I just am so tired of me losing some matches not in the best way, just because I was overemotional," she stated, admitting she felt she was in a "very deep, dark hole" mentally. She mused that perhaps overthinking her pursuit of a Grand Slam on every surface was contributing to her emotional state.
However, the pattern continued in her next outing at the WTA 500 tournament in Berlin. Playing against Jessica Pegula, a player she has largely dominated, Sabalenka recovered from a set and 3-1 down in the second-set tiebreak after a rain delay to win it. This comeback should have provided momentum, yet she inexplicably capitulated in the deciding set. Pegula broke her serve to go 2-0 up, and Sabalenka subsequently won only four points in the final four games, losing the set 6-0. This marked the second time in a month that Sabalenka, as the world No. 1, had lost a final set 6-0, a rare occurrence for an elite player.
These recent performances raise significant questions about Sabalenka's ability to manage pressure when it matters most. For a player who has spent 96 weeks as world No. 1 and finished the last two years top-ranked, these sudden disappearances from contention are perplexing. As Wimbledon approaches, the tennis world will be keenly watching to see which version of Aryna Sabalenka takes to the hallowed grass courts.
Source: WTA Tour, French Open, Berlin Open